Cooler temperatures in southern California are helping firefighters beat back a wildfire that already has scorched almost 7,000 hectares of land.

By Friday morning, authorities said they had contained 12 percent of the wildfires that started in northwestern Los Angeles on Thursday.

Officials say an overnight drop in temperatures, along with calmer winds, helped slow down the progression of the blaze, which has forced the evacuation of about 1,500 people and injured one firefighter.

Officials say nearly 2,000 homes have been saved through the efforts of more than 3,000 firefighters.

Wildfires occur in southern California almost every year around this time, sparked by strong winds, high temperatures and a seasonal lack of rain.